Tethered ball game device



March 12, 1957 E. c. VOGEL EFAL 2,784,971

TETHERED BALL GAME DEVICE Filed NOV. 17, 1954 INVENTORS EDMUND C. V0 GELAND ALoYsws HVOGEL ATTORNEY United States Patent TETHERED BALL GAMEDEVICE Edmund C. Vogel and Aloysius H. Vogel, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application November 17, 1954, Serial No. 469,422 1 Claim. Cl. 273-98)This invention relates to a game device, and the important objects andadvantages thereof are to provide a game apparatus of the characterdescribed, which may be played by any reasonable number of participantsand for playing a variety of games, which determines the winner byeither skill or chance, and which Will afiord exceptional fascination,amusement, and entertainment for both adults and children, particularlythe latter.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a game device of theclass described, which is simple in its construction and arrangement,durable, compact, attractive in appearance, and comparatively economicalin its manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which Will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction,combination, and arrangement of parts herein specifically described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood thatthe latter is merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment of theinvention and that changes in the form proportions and details ofconstruction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claimhereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a game device constructed in accordancewith the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a sound-producing elementembodied in the present invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the improved game device comprises aplate 1 which may be constructed of wood, metal, plastic material,cardboard, or any other suitable material. While the plate isillustrated as being square in contour, it-will be obvious that theplate may be circular in shape or be of any other suitable polygonalconfiguration without departing from the principle of the invention.

The plate 1 is an integral structure and the top thereof is providedwith a plurality of separatetsunken areas 2. The sunken areas are formedby a raised border 3 extending around the top of the plate, and by aplurality of spaced ridges 4 which extend radially from a common centermember 5 to the border 3.

The center member 5 is preferably circular and formed with a rounded topsurface. ,A small rubber ball 6 is connected with the center member 5 bymeans of an elastic rubber cord 7, which has one end secured to the balland the other end thereof is attached at the center of the center member5. The normal unstretched length of the elastic cord 7 is such that theattached ball 6 is retained on the top of the plate 1 at all times Whilethe elastic cord is untensioned.

A difierent animal illustration, as indicated at 8, and a differentnumerical designation, as indicated at 9, are prominently displayed oneach of the surfaces of the sunken areas 2.

It is, of course, apparent that, instead of displaying the illustratedpictures 8 and numerals 9, any other type of indicia may be displayed tocomplement any class of game applicable to the structure of the platearrangement.

A bell 10, carried at the upper end of a vibratory stem 11, may beremovably mounted on the plate 1 by inserting the lower end of the stemin any selected aperture 12 which is provided therefor in the plate 1.

In playing a game with the game device, the player elevates the ball 6vertically to tension. the elastic cord 7 and then releases the elevatedball. The action of the tensioned elastic cord when the ball is soreleased, will cause the ball to first rebound from the center member 5and then bounce repeatedly from other parts of the plate for some time.When the ball finally comes to rest it will have landed in one of thesunken areas 2. In playing the game the child player imitates the cry orcall of the animal pictured in the sunken area in which his play landedthe ball. The adult players form a sentence in which the animal his playindicated is named, and uses the associated numerical designation 9 as ascore, which may be tabulated, and the player having the greatest amountbeing the winner. The bell 10 may or may not be used in playing a gameas desired. In using the hell if the bounding ball should. strike andcause the sounding of the bell predetermined scoring points may be addedor deducted from the play.

The present invention provides a most entertaining game device of itskind, which may be economically constructed successfully employed forthe purposes and in the manner herein set forth.

What we claim is:

A game device of the class described comprising, in combination, a plateformed with a raised border and with a circular center member having arounded top surface, said plate further formed with a plurality ofregularly spaced ridges extending radially from said member to saidborder to provide a plurality of sunken areas on said plate, the surfaceof each of said areas displaying indicia representing a diiferent animaland a different numerical designation, an elastic cord having one endthereof attached at the center of the top of said member, a reboundingball attached at the other end of said cord, said cord normally being ofa length to retain said ball on the top of said plate, each of saidridges provided with an aperture, a vertically extending vibratory stemselectively engageable in any of said apertures, and a bell attached tothe upper end of said stem.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS579,080 Reifl? Mar. 16, 1897 1,562,534 Wingard Nov. 24, 1925 1,578,892Holman Mar. 30, 1926 2,218,055 Singer Oct. 15, 1940 2,243,620 FernandezMay 27, 19 1

